(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/25/05) - CAIR today called on a Washington, D.C., radio station to reprimand a talk show host who states repeatedly that “Islam is a terrorist organization.” American Muslims are also being urged to contact the station's advertisers to express their concerns about the host's Islamophobic views. CAIR says it has received complaints today from Muslim listeners who heard WMAL-AM's Michael Graham state:

1. “Islam is a terrorist organization.”

2. “Islam is at war with America.”

3. “The problem is not extremism. The problem is Islam.”

4. “We are at war with a terrorist organization named Islam.”

When contacted by CAIR, WMAL's Program Director Randall Bloomquist said he stands behind Graham. He said that while WMAL would not permit the use of the “N-word” or anti-Semitic slurs, Graham's remarks about Islam do not require disciplinary action. “Such hate-filled and inflammatory remarks only serve to encourage those who would turn bigoted views into violent or discriminatory actions against ordinary American Muslims,” said CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “Reasoned discussion on issues related to terrorism should be encouraged, but extremist anti-Muslim rhetoric harms our nation's image worldwide and serves as a recruiting tool for terrorists.” Hooper said CAIR is asking American Muslims and other people of conscience to contact WMAL advertisers and express their concerns about Graham's remarks. Last year, CAIR challenged on-air remarks by Graham that seemed to make an implicit call for violence against Muslims. He said: “I don't wanna say we should kill ‘em all [Muslims], but unless there's reform [within Islam], there aren't a lot of other solutions that work in the ground struggle for survival.”

(Graham later claimed he was only referring to so-called “Islamists,” but the context of the quote indicated otherwise.) Graham also said: “Would you hire an Arab-Muslim group for a friend's daughter's Bat Mitzvah, I wouldn't, if you would you're a dope, that's not bigotry, that completely reasonable smart discrimination.” Graham's remarks were highlighted in the announcement of CAIR's “Hate Hurts America” campaign designed to counter anti-Muslim hate on radio talk shows. SEE: randall.bloomquist@abc.com, ernie.fears@abc.com, chris.j.berry@abc.com